February 2008
27 February 2008
Historic Australian atlas series now onlineGeoscience Australia is re-releasing a range of atlases that depict the changing face of the Australian environment and resources over time. First released between 1980-1990, this historical series has been out of print for several years. The new digital format will allow community access to the extensive information, maps and photographs of the Australian continent that each atlas contains. The Atlas of Australia series comprises six volumes, four of which are now available free online, with the two remaining volumes (Climate and Population) to be made available in the future. The available volumes are: Soils & Land Use (1980), Agriculture (1982), Geology & Minerals (1988) and Vegetation (1990). 19 February 2008
Researchers share in national awardA collaborative project on tsunami risk modelling has drawn national recognition for Geoscience Australia and the Fire and Emergency Services Authority of Western Australia (FESA) with an Australian Safer Communities Award. The project, Tsunami Planning and Preparation in Western Australia, received the Projects of National Significance award in the Pre-disaster category at a ceremony in Parliament House, Canberra, on 14 February. The Australian Safer Communities Awards 2007 are sponsored by Emergency Management Australia (EMA) in conjunction with States and Territories and recognise organisations and individuals for best practice and innovations which help to build safer communities across Australia. The Tsunami Planning and Preparation Project followed the Indian Ocean tsunami in December 2004 and its impact on the West Australian coast. The event led to Geoscience Australia and FESA establishing a collaborative research partnership to address the potential threat posed by tsunami to the West Australian coastline. The partnership aimed at developing and applying state-of-the-art science to model the tsunami risk and create effective ways to communicate that science to inform and underpin emergency management plans. The project has resulted in information and data to support planning to mitigate tsunami damage and their impact on communities and critical infrastructure along the coastline as well as providing scientific input to EMA's national approach to capacity building and tsunami awareness. The research also has resulted in the development of a scientific model for other jurisdictions to better understand their tsunami risk. This is the second award that Geoscience Australia and FESA have shared regarding tsunami modelling. The first was the Asia-Pacific Spatial Excellence Award (APSEA) in the Spatially Enabled Government category for work on Tsunami Risk Modelling for Emergency Management.
12 February 2008
Australia shows its good side from spaceFrom February this year, Australia will have access to a new source of Earth observing satellite information from India's remote sensing satellite, Resourcesat-1, also known as IRS-P6. Australia uses ‘public-good’ Earth observation satellite imagery to monitor changes in the land, such as tree cover for carbon budget estimation, and changes in the coastal zone. The imagery is also utilised during times of emergency response to natural hazards such as bushfire and flooding. Geoscience Australia entered into a three-year contract with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in January to receive data from their most advanced remote sensing satellite, and will begin receiving and storing data from February 2008. Geoscience Australia will use ground-stations at Alice Springs and Hobart to receive moderate resolution data from two of the cameras on board the Indian satellite: the Linear Imaging Self Scanner (LISS-3); and the Advanced Wide Field Sensor (AWiFS). The AWiFS has a resolution of 50 to 70 metres with a 740km swath, enabling repeat images to be captured on a weekly basis. The Australian Government currently uses US Landsat satellites 5 & 7, but with these systems starting to fail, the new agreement with ISRO ensures the future of Australia's Earth observation programs.
8 February 2008
Governor-General launches 2008 Year Book AustraliaA new edition of the Year Book Australia series has been launched by His Excellency, Major General Michael Jeffery AC CVO MC (Retd), Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia. 2008 Year Book Australia, which contains 3 articles contributed by Geoscience Australia, is the latest edition of the principal reference work produced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). It provides a detailed, comprehensive statistical overview of aspects of the economic, social and geographic conditions of Australia. The Year Book is the ”flagship„ publication of the ABS, with the first official edition being published in 1908. This year it reflects on the International Year of the Planet Earth, and also pays tribute to the Year of the Scout. Geoscience Australia is proud to have collaborated with the ABS on 2008 Year Book Australia, contributing the articles Sustaining the mineral resources industry - overcoming the tyranny of depth, Tsunami risk to Australia, and Understanding natural hazard impacts on Australia. For more information on 2008 Year Book Australia, please consult the ABS website. |
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